The curtain is coming down on one of late night’s most recognizable stages, and the industry is watching its next act take shape. As viewers prepare for a major shift in CBS’ 11:35 p.m. hour, reactions are emerging from those closest to the transition. Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, recently addressed his replacement, Byron Allen, with remarks marked by grace and wit.
Stephen Colbert has this to say about his Late Night show replacement
As the countdown to his last late-night show begins, Stephen Colbert has broken his silence on the future of The Late Show and the man whose show is taking over.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the host responded to CBS’ decision to replace The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with Byron Allen’s comedy talk show, Comics Unleashed, later this month.
In April, CBS announced that Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen would take over Colbert’s time slot. Launched in 2006, the series brings together rotating comedians who perform stand-up in a roundtable format.
“God bless him,” Cobert said. “I know Byron. We got to know each other last year, actually. He’s fascinating. You know his history with Carson?” he added. Further, Colbert pointed out that Allen became the youngest comic ever to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson when he was 18 years old.
After hearing the news, Colbert said he congratulated Allen the next morning and jokingly told him to drop a note to Johnny Carson. Carson hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992 before his death in 2005.
When The Hollywood Reporter pressed Colbert and asked how it is giving way to something other than a standard late-night program, he declined to weigh in. “It’s none of my business,” he stated.
With his Late Show finale slated for May 21, 2026, Stephen Colbert is winding down his CBS run. While details of the farewell episode remain under wraps, Colbert’s recent lineup, featuring Oprah Winfrey and former President Barack Obama, signals that he’s going out strong.
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.
